December Veggies 2025
December is a very food-centric month, regardless of one’s religious beliefs, often a time of cross-cultural exposure through food. It’s the last opportunity to go ‘whole hog’ before starting New Year’s resolutions. And it is a time to simply celebrate and thank those with whom you interact within or outside work or daily routines.
Here, at Melissa’s, we wish all of you Happy Holidays, and hope we can assist you in creating your meal with quality fresh produce. Some items are in their whole or trimmed raw state, some are ready to use. But every item is generally seasoned with a grind of salt, a dip or drizzle of a sauce or dressing to complement the flavor of the dish. Kind of like going out on the town without earrings. So, we also offer condiments to complement your dishes. Do not hesitate to contact our Customer Service line 800-588-0151 or email us with any questions or concerns, hotline@melissas.com for shipping information. Please check our website's FAQ Shipping Information page: https://www.melissas.com/pages/shipping-information
NEW! STEAMED BRUSSELS SPROUTS
The latest member of our extensive steamed vegetables and legumes line, ready to eat whole. Baby Brussels Sprouts are a quick, simple way to add a tasty ingredient as a side dish, veggie, soup, on a pic for appetizers, or quick pickled for gift giving. If you do not see this new item at your favorite local retailer in the produce section, please inquire with the produce manager, or order online at www.melissas.com. Product of the Netherlands. Available year-round.
PLANT-BASED PROTEIN OPTIONS
Let’s face it, the holidays are centered around a lot of food. And, depending on your dietary and ethical needs, you may shy away from gatherings. Instead, why not bring a dish you’d like to eat, and chances are, other guests would too. Melissa’s can help with our array of produce, as well as a few plant-based protein alternatives.
QUINOA – A seed originating in South America, this protein source must be rinsed before preparation to remove the bitter natural coating. Quinoa may be prepared for any meal and included in every course, sans beverages. It is nutty in flavor, tender in texture when cooked, and easy to digest. It can be added to bulk up fiber and protein in one’s diet. If purchasing Melissa’s USDA Certified Organic Red Quinoa, it is an uncooked seed and must be rinsed and strained before cooking, just like rice, to add to soups, salads, faux eggs, or baked goods. The seed is cooked when the germ ring or ‘curly queue’ appears. If purchasing Melissa’s Cooked Quinoa in the ready-to-use chub, simply open the package and use it any way you’d like, from slider burgers to plant-based lasagna, refrigerating up to four days any leftover product.
ORGANIC POLENTA – Shelf stable and ready to use or further prepare by frying, roasting, or rehydrating, this gluten-free-by-ingredient and certified organic Italian staple may be simply sliced and topped with pesto, cheese, veggies, or cut into cubes and air fry, as rounds and top with small mounds of veggies, red pepper sauce or jammy fruit, or long planks as steaks or ‘sticks’ as fries. Rehydrate as a sub for mashed potatoes and top with cheese or sautéed mushrooms. Available year-round in tasty original flavor, Italian Herb, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Hatch Pepper. Product of the USA, California.
EDAMAME AND TOFU – “Beans on a branch”, or ‘edamame’ in Japanese, are whole, cooked edamame in pod or shelled and have a mild nutty flavor. In pod, they make an easy appetizer served warm or chilled with a few grinds of Melissa’s Himalayan Pink Salt and Hatch Pepper Powder or a dip of our Orange Habanero Salsa. We do not recommend consuming the pod but rather suggest enjoying the interaction of removing the pod by gripping it between your teeth and giving a gentle pull to release the tender beans. They are habit-forming! Look for Melissa’s Edamame with a seasoning packet for on-the-go snacking or a larger pack of in-shell or shelled, available USDA Certified Organic or conventionally grown. Available Year Round. Product of China. Tofu is a cake or custard product made by processing the tofu and straining it to make blocks sold in water pack or aseptic shelf-stable packaging. Just like its whole bean mother, tofu is nutrient-dense and absorbs flavors quite well, making it the perfect medium for animal culinary substitutes. Tofu is available in different levels of firmness, mild to extra firm, for every culinary purpose, from puréeing mild firmness for cheesecakes, smoothies, scrambled ‘eggs’, and gingerbread to firm for deep frying or sauté, and extra firm for faux chicken or shredded ‘meat’. Available Year Round. Product of the USA
SOY TACO/SOYRIZO – Many of us really enjoy the flavor and richness of chorizo, the ground meat from pork, but no longer can do so for health reasons. You don’t have to have FOMO with Melissa’s Soy Taco and Soy Rizo, plant-based ‘chorizo’! Ready to use and located in the refrigerated natural food section, simply open and reheat in an oiled pan and mix in with potatoes and scrambled eggs like the old days. Soy Taco has full flavor and works great to season soups, wonton stuffing, Portuguese bread, and the list goes on. Be certain to refrigerate any unused product and consume within the week-a no-brainer! Available year-round. Product of the USA, California.
SPREADS AND CONDIMENTS
As mentioned in our monthly introduction for December, most produce and fruits are seasoned with something to enhance or complement flavor and texture.
SALSAS! – I don’t think anyone really knows why people like to dip their food. Kids make eating fun this way, and adults are simply grown-up kids. Salsa is much more than tomatoes, chile peppers, and lime. There can be fruit salsa or veggie salsa, but all have flavor and possibly heat to complement the item(s) being dressed. At parties, it’s a fun way to explore flavor combinations; no double dipping, please!
ORANGE HABANERO SALSA – Sweet with a little heat, this salsa can also be used as a glaze or marinade for meats, seafoods, tofu, or lightly toss fruits or salads, and the list goes on. Habanero peppers are known to be hot, but this salsa has just enough to give you heat but not bark. Use it to glaze pineapple or sweet potatoes. Tasty with a bit added to cranberry relish! Available Year Round. Product of the USA.
HATCH HOT SAUCE, GREEN OR RED – Who says hot sauce is only for tacos and burritos? Shake on chips and jicama fries, over okra and carrots. Try a dab in your next Bloody Mary. The question really is, “Are you green or red”? Available Year Round. Product of the USA.
TAQUERIA SALSAS – OMG! This is quickly becoming a favorite across the nation, adding it to just about everything savory. Both contain the tang of tomatillos, Hatch peppers, and seasonings. But the question is whether you prefer the rich Avocado Salsa with a bit of serrano pepper or the Taqueria Salsa with guajillo peppers. The only way you’ll know is to try them side by side with your amigas and cerveza with a squeeze of key lime or shot of mezcal.
HORSERADISH!
This radish is an ancient food first used by the Egyptians medicinally, and a bitter herb for the Orthodox Jewish Passover seder. Europeans immigrating to the USA brought the root with them. Some believe it was named ‘horse’ or large, for its physical appearance. Others think it is because it resembles a horse’s leg and hoof. Regardless, this tasty root eventually became a condiment to spice up meats. Man has evolved in the use of horseradish by adding some to Bloody Marys and other cocktails, slathering it on deli sandwiches, and including it in some rich dressings and sauces. Don’t forget this essential condiment for your sandwich, grazing, or cocktail bar. It brings a healthy punch and flavor to recipes, exactly what a condiment should do!
WHOLE – Purchase firm roots free of dark spots, softness, or mold. Refrigerate unwashed and wrapped in a paper towel and plastic bag up to ten days. Do not freeze. Prep for use- cut off the amount of root needed. Scrub, then use a vegetable peeler to remove skin. Grate, add a bit of lemon to balance flavor and retard oxidation. Add sour cream or yogurt for a creamy consistency. Use within two days. Available year-round. Grown in the USA.
SHREDDED – Skip the prep and use Melissa’s Shredded Horseradish! Ready to use for any culinary purpose, this item is free from dairy, gluten, and sugar. Keep refrigerated. Available all year except the summer months. Product of Austria.
CREAMY – Horseradish prepared creamy for seafood cocktails, burgers, and dressings. Keep Refrigerated. Available year-round. Product of the USA.
EXTRA HOT GRATED – Horseradish simply grated, allowing the ‘chef’ to spice up any dish requiring some zing! Keep Refrigerated. Available year-round.
BLACK-EYED PEAS (FRESH OR STEAMED)
Often considered a ‘good luck’ item for the year, Black Eyed Peas are a Southern favorite anytime! Melissa’s offers, year-round, our Steamed Blackeye Peas so you may have stew, soup, braised collards or chard with pot likker and peas, salads, ‘caviar’ anytime. No need to cook the beans! Contains gluten. Available Year Round. Product of France.
But if you have a secret family recipe for The New Year, keep an eye or two open for Melissa’s pre-soaked Black-Eyed Peas in the tub. Only available during December and January, this item is ready to be cooked as you please. If you’d like to stock up a few tubs for a few months after the New Year, our Black-Eyed Peas in the tub are freezable up to two months. Available through early January. Product of the USA.
FENNEL
Crisp, light licorice in flavor, fennel can be consumed raw or cooked. Tasty, thinly sliced and tossed with vinaigrette in a salad, or quartered, seared, then braised in broth as a side dish or over steamed fish.
FENNEL, WHOLE – include the tall edible stems and wispy fronds as garnish for visual appeal when pickling or canning. Stems are crunchy like celery and can be added to salads, pastas, stir-fries, and broths.
FENNEL BULB ONLY – In true Melissa’s fashion, we offer fennel bulb sans fronds and stems for those who wish to simply wash and slice. NO matter which you choose, fennel is considered good for digestion, nutrient absorption, a source of fiber, and antioxidants. Look for Baby Fennel in the spring! Available Year Round. Grown in the USA.
ENDIVE, BELGIAN
A torpedo-shaped leaf lettuce perfect to use as appetizer ‘boats’. Considered part of the bitter green or chicory family, with cousins radicchio, romaine, and treviso. Pairs well with seafood, cheese (to balance the bitter), Melissa’s Hot Honey, pomegranate arils, avocado, and toasted nuts. Just like fennel, this green can be served raw and crisp, or braised in a broth and finished with cream. Grill, then toss with strong vinaigrette and feta or gorgonzola cheese. Available Year Round. Grown in the USA.
CELERY ROOT
Many Europeans seek celery root. A soft root with mild celery flavor, it is used raw, fried, braised, or puréed. Known most as celery root soup, a creamy soup usually dressed with a dollop of sour cream and chive (great sipper app, by the way), cut into batons then lightly sprayed with oil and air fried, cubed and roasted with other root veggies, or consumed raw as crudité, sliced paper thin as a pita or wrap, or grated for coleslaw with apples and cranberries. Select firm-not soft or squishy- root ball free of mold or brown spots. Refrigerate raw, wrapped in a damp paper towel and stored in a plastic bag. Use within one week. Do not freeze. Available now through May. Product of the USA.
ORGANIC GREEN BEANS – CLEANED AND SNIPPED
No holiday table is complete without green beans, so make them flavorful, whether doused in cream of mushroom soup or simply steamed and dressed in browned butter and toasted nuts. Melissa’s green beans are Certified USDA Organic and are cleaned and snipped, ready for you to ‘do your thing’. This also speeds up the process for dilly bean canning! Available year-round. Product of Mexico.
TRUFFLES – WHITE ALBA
Considered an aphrodisiac, these mushrooms are truly special as chefs may pay thousands of dollars per pound, and very seasonal. Fragrant and grown in forests, these little treats used to be foraged by pigs, but pigs are quick to consume before the farmer can grasp the morsel from the ground! Dogs are now used and given their own treat. Truffle characteristics truly shine when shaved or grated into dishes with dairy or otherwise. Heated dishes enhance truffle aroma. Often served grated or thinly sliced for eggs, pastas or risotto, roasted potatoes, creamy salads, scalloped veggies, grilled cheese (use quality cheese, please), and roasted poultry skin on. White Alba truffles are very earthy with a scent of garlic. In season now. Product of Italy.
